Date: Sun, 9 Nov 2003 18:19:28 -0500 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: "George M. Jett" Subject: Stealth Gulls and Purple Finch in Waldorf Comments: To: SMAS Comments: cc: Miliff@aol.com, Robert Ringler MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Folks Yesterday, about dawn, a flock of Laughing Gulls rose up from the = western treeline heading toward the rising sun. The absolutely silent = flock of approximately 65 birds was traveling in the shape of a stealth = fighter. Today's treat was a flock of 5 female and/or non-adult male Purple = Finches invading the sunflower feeders about 9:30 AM. They did not stay = long. Perhaps a good finch season is in store. I also had a = cooperative Golden-crowned Kinglet, and at dusk a Barred Owl cruised the = yard briefly. A squirrel called an alarm, but no one was more than = disturbed. =20 Fall is settling in on us, the leaves are mostly gone with the two = inches of rain during mid-week, and the tomatoes have died. The = Pileated and Hairy Woodpecker, and Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers continue to = frequent the Magnolia berries. I took a couple shots of two, but the = larger species is too fast. A Northern Flicker seems to prefer the = Black Gum berries, as does the Hermit Thrush (HETH). The HETH also = likes the Poke Berries. A few more Juncos and White-throats arrived. = The Chippies were not present today. The season has changed. Regards George =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D =========================================================================